Computing devices typically store data and instructions in files on a storage device, such as a hard disk drive, optical disc drive, solid state memory, and so forth. A file system typically interacts with the storage device to create, delete, and/or modify files. This interaction can be direct, or indirect through one or more intermediate components. Oftentimes, when the file system deletes a file it does not communicate the details of the space freed due to the delete operation, in which case the storage device and any intermediate components have no knowledge of the space being freed. This manner of deleting files can be problematic as the storage device and any intermediate components oftentimes have no knowledge of which portions of the storage device do and do not store data for valid files.